Tuesday, January 1, 2013

We're Off to a Great Start!

Dan and I have been feeling fairly traveled out so we didn't drive my parents' house today for the traditional New Year's meal. Instead, we traveled to the (much closer) grocery store. And since we were missing the extended family traditional meal, we decided to do one of our own.

For those not blessed to be Southern, it's a common tradition to eat leafy greens and black eyed peas on New Year's Day. Neither of which Dan and I had on hand, so we picked up some fresh peas and spinach (collards are more traditional, but I was in a spinach mood). Tradition, however, does not dictate an entree. Pork is common, but not required. Not feeling all that pork-inclined, I determined I would start the new year with a new culinary experience.

I decided to make fried chicken.

I've never made fried chicken. I'm still pretty darn new to the frying thing and find it somewhat intimidating still. But I whipped out my Alton Brown and followed the directions (well, as much as I can follow directions). The end result?

Numminess!

I'm so happy with how it turned out! I pan-fried it (another first) and it resulted in probably the moistest, juiciest fried chicken ever. Seriously fantastic.

There are a couple things I'd tweak next time, but it was good enough to ensure that there would be a next time. And even more of a bonus, now I know what I can do with the blocks of lard I got when Dad and I bought and split a pig!

Mmm, a New Year's dinner of chicken fried in lard. Notice on my previous post that weight loss is not one of my goals? (Okay, it probably should be. Especially if I keep frying things in lard for the rest of this year.)

That looks great, I love dark leafy greens, and I love black eyed peas too. Last week, I made fried chicken for my 9yo daughter. That didn't last long. I usually pan fry it for her.

There are so many uses for lard, you can even use it in soap making. I tend to use the more 'exotic' carrier oils, but the next batch I've been thinking about using lard. It gives great creamy lather to soaps.